


chasing the sun

by awkwardspaceturtle



Category: Bleach
Genre: Canon Compliant, F/M, Fluff and Angst, High School, Pining, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-16
Updated: 2020-02-22
Packaged: 2021-02-27 19:14:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,799
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22750813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/awkwardspaceturtle/pseuds/awkwardspaceturtle
Summary: "I know what you see in her, Ichigo," Rukia said, her eyes going soft on him. "But that also means that others can see what you see."
Relationships: Inoue Orihime/Kurosaki Ichigo
Comments: 18
Kudos: 62





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> it's been years, but i guess you never grow out of your OTP.  
> especially if they're canonically married and live a happy life together

Karakura town - a town of such dense spiritual convergence, it once was crawling with hollows, even visited a few times by high-ranking Vast Lordes. It had seen its fair share of spiritual battles in the past decade or so, but on this night, it lay quietly enjoying its peace. High up riding the breeze, two figures clothed in black were surveying the serene sea of night lights under their feet.

“See?” Ichigo said. “It really is nice of you to pay us a visit, but there’s nothing urgent for a candidate of Gotei 13 Captaincy to drop by for.”

In response, Rukia faked a hurt maiden in her usual over-dramatic fashion. “How rude. I thought my old friends would miss me more.”

“You’re not fooling anyone with that act, I know you’re just here to borrow manga from Inoue,” Ichigo said. “It’s my turn to read, you know. Wait, is there no manga in the afterlife? I don’t remember there being a commercial district in Soul Society, but…”

While Ichigo seemed troubled about life after death without manga, Rukia looked at him, a corner of her mouth curving slowly upward.

“Aa---” She let out a satisfied sigh as she breathed in the cool night air. "It's gotten so peaceful here that the shinigami on duty can just relax themselves and go on dates or whatever."

Ichigo glanced sideways and saw that she was directing a suggestive half-smile his way. He raised an eyebrow at her. "Well you’re not exactly assigned to this place, so you can go ask Renji. And let me be clear that I’m not the person to turn to for any dating advice--"

"Ha?” Rukia managed to regain her composure after getting flustered for a quick second. “Fool, I'm obviously talking about _you_."

_Me?_ Ichigo paused for a second.

"What?? You want me to go on a date with Renji?”

“Fool!” (Ichigo reeled at the scathing impact of her fist; he almost forgot how much strength she packed in those tiny hands.) “I’m talking about you going out with the person you like!”

“Wha-? I don't--" Ichigo stammered.

"O-h, you don't?" Rukia teased, her eyes challenging and mischievous.

_Why is Rukia even asking me about_ \-- Before he could even form _her_ name in his mind, his eyes went wide and his face suddenly warmed. With every passing second, Ichigo felt the heat climbing up his neck to the top of his head and around his ears.

"O-ho, someone appeared in your mind, no?"

"--!!!" Ichigo felt his whole face burn up at the accusation, but found his throat dry for any retort. Clearly, Rukia read him really well.

“You’re so easy to read. What a child. You’re face is even redder than a strawberry. You’re making this even way more fun than it’s supposed to be.”

“Hey, you’re getting awfully cheeky, Rukia,” Ichigo finally retorted, face still red as beets.

“And you’re awfully slow,” she said, arms folded against her chest.

"I know what you see in _her_ , Ichigo," Rukia said, her eyes going soft on him. "But that also means that others can see what you see.”

Admittedly, this wasn’t impossible at all. Inoue Orihime was already popular based on her looks alone. If anyone got close enough to get to know her kindness, her upbeat energy, her innate strength and the warmth she brings, anyone would… anyone would simply want to get even closer to her. Maybe even fall in love with her.

The same could be said for Inoue - after all, _Inoue is Inoue_ \- and her choices were hers to make, and she was free to love whomever she chose. Even if that person wasn’t Ichigo.

The thought of that alone seemed to crush his heart. And yet he knew that if it truly made her happy, he wouldn’t want to get in the way of that. He would rather spend his life lonely than make her cry.

As soon as the thought passed, it suddenly struck him that he would ever think that way. The way he worded it just now seemed like he had already chosen her, and that no one else will come after her. That regardless of who she chose, he will carry on loving her still.

And if there was a chance that she’d choose him in the end, then he’d spend every day letting her know he had chosen her from the start.

Rukia observed Ichigo and immediately knew that look. It was the expression that told her he understood. It was also the expression he wore whenever he made a promise. Anyone who knew Ichigo would know that he is a person who always makes good on his word.

“Hm.” Rukia nodded pensively to herself. “And Renji said I couldn’t give good dating advice.”

“... I don’t remember you giving me any such advice.” Ichigo said after a quick mental backread of their conversation. “All you did was tease me.”

But Rukia was already laughing with premature victory. “Just save your thanks for later, Ichigo.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry if our main heroine isn't quite there in chapter one. she'll be in the next chapter, for sure.  
> i've got the entire story outlined in my brain so i hope i finish this. will try to update soon :D


	2. Chapter 2

“Gaahh, why did Kozuki have to sub for old man Fukuyama for final period?” Tatsuki said through gritted teeth as she crammed her books into her backpack. “Now I’m gonna be late for work. And if the master is late, the students will start to think it’s okay to be late too!”

“I know a faster way to exit the school building, Tatsuki-chan!” Inoue declared enthusiastically, and was already making a beeline for the nearest window. To the exterior wall beside it, there was thick metal pipe.

“What did I tell you about gravity!?” Tatsuki yelled after her, but Inoue already had one foot on the window ledge.

“Inoue, want me to walk you to work--” Ichigo was in the middle of calling after her when he saw a classmate taking out their phone as Inoue slid down. As he went on to berate the perpetrator into deleting the photo or video, Inoue and Tatsuki had already left the school premises.

“Learn about consent and people’s rights!” He yelled with needless ferocity as he ended his speech. His classmate scrambled for the door, scared but relieved to be finally out of Ichigo’s wrath.

“... Ichigo.”

“Oh, you were still here, Chad?” Ichigo said as he slung his bag on his back. “Don’t you have training today?”

“... I’m sorry Inoue didn’t hear you back then.”

Ichigo felt his face grow warm. Looks like his weak attempt didn’t go unnoticed. Not to Chad who was quite observant.

“Oh. Uh. It’s fine. I’ll just try again tomorrow.”

Even with his hair covering his eyes, Chad looked thoughtful. “Your work is still a distance from hers, right?”

“... Yeah, it is.” Ichigo started to see where his friend was going with this. He started to sweat.

“Unagiya-san is quite scary when you don’t come in on time, huh?”

Ichigo’s sweat fell more rapidly. “So scary.”

“If you went out the same way Inoue did, maybe you can be late for five minutes instead of ten.”

“Thanks for having my back, Chad,” Ichigo said as he prepared to dive from the window.

The sky had turned a dark, almost blackish blue once Ichigo got off work. He was lucky enough that the boss’s kid Kaoru was at home sick, and he didn’t have to be left dead in Unagiya-san’s warpath after being so late. She did make sure he was worked to the bone, though, so even with his improved stamina, he felt depleted. The only thing that made his legs work at all was the thought of going to a certain bakeshop across town to ask Inoue if he can walk her home.

The thought of it alone sent butterflies in his stomach, but newfound energy in his veins as well. Then he thought about her knowing where he worked and how going to hers meant that he had walked twice the distance to his house, and how that could lead to awkward questions he wasn’t sure he was prepared to answer yet.

He could tell her he was just in the area for shinigami duties, or for an errand for Unagiya-san, but Inoue had always been able to tell if he was telling the truth or not. Sometimes he wondered if her big bright eyes could actually see all the way to his core. She’d always been good at sensing things, and he’d always had a silent admiration for that part of her.

He figured he should just tell her the truth, that he’d been thinking of her and her safety. After all, he was already standing on the sidewalk across her workplace. At that point, he had already deliberately missed three go-signals to cross just thinking about how he should go ask her for a walk. A simple walk, for god’s sake.

Then, just as the stoplights turned red and a countdown started for pedestrians to cross, he saw a familiar mane of vibrant autumn hair poke out of the bakeshop’s trendy glass door.

Even through a crowd, he could single out her voice, clear as the brightest day. “Good work today! I’m off!”

He smiled, even if it was only to himself, as he finally had the determination to put one foot out of the other and cross over to where she was. Then she suddenly turned in his direction, and he almost forgot to catch his breath.

“Sorry to keep you waiting.”

_…?_

“No, it’s fine.” A man stood up from where he’d been leaning on the railing in front of the bakeshop. He looked like he was a university student. “It was me who insisted on waiting, after all.”

_Who…?_

Tall, maybe taller than Ichigo by a couple of inches. Black hair, like a raven’s. Dark brown eyes that reflected Inoue’s beautiful smile. He wore simple black shirt and coat, but he looked like he came out of a fashion magazine.

They started walking away from the bakeshop, side by side as if they already knew where to go next. They went on and talked as if they knew each other well. Like they were good friends who made it a habit of walking home together. Inoue didn’t look back, or anywhere else aside from the man’s face. And his eyes were constantly on her, as well.

Who was that guy? How did they become so familiar with each other? What was she to him, and what was he to her? And why did Ichigo not know about him? Did any of their friends know about him?

Only the sound of a bicycle bell and and a pissed off rider alerted Ichigo to his surroundings. He still had a foot on the pedestrian lane. The stoplight had just turned green.

When he looked back across the street, the two were already out of his sight.


End file.
